Between health crisis, preparations and daily life, he testifies to his experience and his success in the Technical Test, the entrance test for the state diploma in alpine skiing. ⛷
Thanks to Teddy for the time given to this interview.
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Reading time: 10 min
Hello, my name is Teddy, I am 28 years old, I come from Sallanches in the Chamonix valley. I did a STAPS degree in sports ergonomics, then after I graduated I went to Australia for a year. When I returned to France I decided to aim for the ski instructor diploma. I didn't want to relaunch myself in a master's degree at university and I wanted to live to the rhythm of the seasons. I want to be able to change places during the year on the principle of mountains in winter and ocean in summer. I first started in a different training center than the Pro Outdoor Academy, where I made three attempts at the Technical Test which all failed. I then joined the Pro Outdoor Academy center on the advice of a friend who had heard about it.
I found out about this training center through a friend. He had spent a few weeks with members of the Pro Outdoor Academy training center during the Eurotest period. He informed me that this training center offered preparatory training for the technical test. I then called the training manager of the Pro Outdoor Academy, in charge of recruitment. Once the administrative formalities were completed, I joined the ski training.
Thanks to the Qualiopi certification of the training center, I was able to obtain funding from Pôle Emploi for my training, which is a big plus. Partially financed, the ski training remains very affordable compared to all that is offered to us on the market. Included in the training, we have a racing outfit, a pair of skis, subscription to various sports complexes (which we haven't used much this year but which remains very interesting) and meals every noon at the Campus.
Since this winter, the center has a Campus dedicated to training in Tignes. For my part, I haven't stayed there this season but the work done at the Campus is really nice, especially since it is very difficult to find seasonal accommodation in Tignes so it's a real plus !
There is a great atmosphere within the training, there is a good group effect, motivation and above all a closeness with the coaches of the Pro Outdoor Academy.
From October, we followed an intense physical preparation while waiting to be able to ski. [The Covid 19 health crisis prevented the opening of ski resorts this winter. In December, only FFS licensees were allowed to continue their training in part of the ski areas, editor's note]. In December we started skiing, hard until the end of March. We did a lot of slalom during the whole ski preparation. I would also add that the theoretical courses we took were very beneficial to us. They gave us the basics of mid-mountain. It was really good to have this mix between theory and practice. Mental preparation was also an important factor in the success of my training. Mentally and physically we were ready to pass the technical test and give our best.
The coaches and Douglas Favre [General Manager of Evolution 2 Tignes and Val d'Isère, editor's note] were invested in our preparation. They were happy for us and pushed us to push ourselves throughout the season to get our Technical Test.
Getting my technical test was what I had been waiting for for a while! This is the most defining moment of my training. So I got my technical test in early February and my preparatory cycle in early June.
Let him go without hesitation. But beware, these are courses that take time and are expensive. That's why you have to be sure of yourself, of what you want to do and you have to give and invest yourself fully !
With obtaining my preparatory cycle, I want to work with Evolution 2 as a ski instructor in Tignes throughout the winter season.
See you soon !
Célia, for the Pro Outdoor Academy team 🏔
